SNDYE Lunch and Learn - TOUGH DE&I conversations at work 

Join us with a notable panel of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leaders on a Q&A discussion regarding complex, difficult, tough conversations about DE&I at the professional workplace. How can we make sure words turn into action, and how do we start the dialogue?

Tia Bradley
Tia Bradley is a Partner Experience Delivery Leader for Intuit Accountants overseeing the 400+ frontline vendor workforce. Tia’s 15-year career in Customer Success is driven by her passion for building relationships and inspiring people to do the best work of their lives. She is devoted to delivering extraordinary customer experiences, for which she was awarded Intuit’s top honor CEO Care Club Winner in 2017. As a Black Queer woman, Tia has an unwavering commitment to ensure she is a transformative force in driving diversity, equity and inclusion. She is the chair of the Intuit Plano campus’ Black employee resource group, Intuit’s African Ancestry Network (IAAN), and was selected to join Intuit’s Racial Equity Advancement Leadership (REAL) team, chartered by Inuit’s CEO to design enterprise-wide equity, diversity, and inclusion strategies. In addition, Tia joined the Board of Directors for Impact Ventures, a nonprofit whose mission “is to empower talented, yet under-estimated Women and Communities of Color to build generational wealth through inclusive entrepreneurship, community wealth building, and integrated capital.” She will continue to actively pursue and promote opportunities that ensure the protection and advancement of underserved communities.

Halima K. McWilliams, MS, PHR, SHRM-CP, CDP
Halima K. McWilliams is currently an Associate Principal at Corgan, an architecture and design firm in downtown Dallas. She leads the People Operations and Culture Team since May 2018. Halima leverages her knowledge and expertise of over 24 years in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), as well as, strategic human resources (HR) to aid organizations in crafting customized, practical and realistic solutions that work. Halima is a nationally certified HR & Diversity practitioner. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Capella University. Halima has held leadership roles in Fortune 500 organizations, such as Raytheon and First Data. Before joining Corgan, she was a Principal Consultant with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. When not in the office, Halima enjoys hanging out with her husband, Jason, exploring new restaurants, and indulging in live music concerts, specifically smooth jazz and neo-soul.

Ethan Avanzino is a creative producer for one of the world’s largest low-cost airline headquartered in Dallas, Texas. He has been a part of LGBTQ+ initiatives since he came out in 2015. Ethan is co-chair of Encompass, the LGBTQ+ employee resource group, and serves on the Diversity & Inclusion Council. After his transition, he established the Transition Guidelines for Employees & Leaders, to ensure transgender employees have the resources they need to transition successfully on the job. Outside of work, Ethan founded Safe To Be, a non-profit which aims to provide a tiny home community for displaced LGBTQ+ individuals. He is originally from the west coast and has called Dallas home since 2012. However, COVID19 brought him and his husband to Eureka Springs where they purchased and run Wanderoo Lodge & Gravel Bar.